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The ‘Fake Houses’ of Leinster Gardens, Bayswater-W2

Posted on November 23, 2018 by Geoff Clements Posted in Quirky Topics, Streets .

 

This week’s venture out for the London Shoes website posting, was short & sweet, but one that provides a typical example of the more unusual and quirky historic landmarks scattered across this metropolis.

The subject matter is all about the “fake houses” of Leinster Gardens, Bayswater W2 – and an interesting little topic it is too.
Leinster Gardens is a tree lined street located in the heart of the posh and affluent part of Bayswater – just a few minutes walk north of Hyde Park.

Its massive white 5 storey Victorian houses were built around the 1840’s – and the majority of these properties still have their original architectural features such as Corinthian pillars, large front porches, huge front doors, balconies, sash windows, street level ornate iron railings – and as a result, most of these buildings are today granted Grade II listed status.

However – among all these listed buildings sit 2 properties at no’s 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens, which are not what they may appear to be from the outside – as they have no rooms – no ‘real’ windows – no letter boxes – no door handles…..and the 2 buildings are only 5ft in depth!!!

The reason for this is all to do with when London’s very first Underground Railway was constructed way back in the 1860’s.

When the Underground was first built, deep holes were dug throughout London’s streets to accommodate the rail tracks, and these large holes would then be covered over, creating a series of tunnels.

The rail route between Paddington and Bayswater cut right through and underneath Leinster Gardens – and the houses at no’s 23 & 24 had to be demolished to enable these early ‘steam driven’ Underground trains to ‘vent-off’ all their carboniferous steam before heading into the constructed tunnel.

Building this tunnel left an unsightly huge gap in the middle of Leinster Gardens where no’s 23 & 24 used to be – in what was a very posh and desirable street.

The local ‘toffs’ were not at all happy about this as they believed it lowered the tone of the area – and they kicked-up such a fuss, that the Metropolitan Railway Co, (the owners of the rail line), had to do something to calm the wrath of the public, some of which were very influential people.

So – in 1868 they decided to construct a ‘mock-up’ frontage of no’s 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens, so that it blended in perfectly with all the other houses in the street.

Looking at the back of these 2 ‘fake’ houses, from the vantage point of neighbouring Porchester Terrace – it provides a clear view of what’s been done, as the houses either side of no’s 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens, are structured together by a number of large steel struts and girders – and you can also see the current Underground rail tracks and tunnel entrance.

They did such a great job of building this façade, that even today there are ‘locals’ who are not even remotely aware that no’s 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens don’t actually exist.

I was told by one of the residents of Leinster Gardens that all of the local ‘take-away/home delivery’ restaurants in the area have a filter on any calls they may receive ordering food to be delivered to 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens – and over the years there have been many instances where ‘fake’ events have been promoted by wrong’uns – selling tickets to unsuspecting punters.

These ‘fake’ houses at 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens are so convincing that they have appeared prominently as a back drop in scenes from popular tv series ‘Sherlock’.

Today, the fake houses are maintained and managed by TfL (Transport for London).

So – having spent some time seeking out these 2 ‘fake’ houses, and also taking time to have a look some of the other nearby streets in Bayswater – I ambled down to the end of Leinster Gardens, into Leinster Terrace, where I stumbled upon a wonderful little pub, the “Leinster Arms” – where I happily knocked back the customary couple of ‘cheeky’ beers.

This excellent little boozer dates all the way back to 1865, when it was opened as a pub called the ‘Scotch Stores’. It has a wonderfully decorative exterior and interior, and the side of the pub leads to ‘Leinster Mews’ – a very picturesque little collection of small mews cottages.

All in all a good old day out, discovering one of the more quirkier landmarks of London’s history.

Hope you enjoy he accompanying photos.

Bayswater tube station on the Circle & District line between Notting Hill Gate & Paddington – and just a couple of minutes walk from Leinster Gardens. This station originally opened in 1868.

 

 

Leinster Gardens – Bayswater, London W2

 

Me – across the road from the 2 famous ‘fake’ houses at no’s 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens-Bayswater

 

The 2 famous ‘fake’ houses at no’s 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens-Bayswater.

 

The 2 ‘fake’ front doors of 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens

 

A view of the false ‘painted’ windows and balconies at 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens

 

Another view of the painted in Windows of 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens

 

A close-up of one of the fake windows and it’s balcony

 

At the false front door entrances to the fake 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens

 

Me – being a confused postman at 24 Leinster Gardens – where do I post a bloody letter

 

Porchester Terrace – where you can view the back of the fake frontages to 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens

 

A view of the back of the 2 fake houses in Leinster Gardens – where you can clearly see the ‘gap’ between the real and fake houses

 

Looking down on the tube track that runs between the ‘gap’ – and also the back of the false frontage of 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens

 

A satellite view of the gap between the real and fake houses of Leinster Gardens – and the tube tracks running between Porchester Terrace and Leinster Gardens (photo courtesy of Bing Maps

 

Me at the wall in Porchester Terrace – where the back of the 2 fake houses in Leinster Gardens can be clearly seen

 

The streets of Bayswater

 

The streets of Bayswater

 

The streets of Bayswater

 

The streets of Bayswater

 

The streets of Bayswater

 

The streets of Bayswater

 

The streets of Bayswater

 

Me – walking the mean streets of Bayswater

 

 

The excellent ‘Leinster Arms’ pub in Leinster Terrace

 

Outside the ‘Leinster Arms’ pub – in Leinster Terrace

 

The ‘Leinster Arms’ pub – and the entrance to Leinster Mews

 

The Leinster Arms pub

 

The Leinster Arms pub

 

Leinster Mews down the side of the Leinster Arms pub

 

The little mews cottages situated down Leinster Mews

 

Inside the Leinster Arms pub

 

Me – neckin down a ‘cheeky’ one in the excellent Leinster Arms pub

 

Me – neckin down a second ‘cheeky’ one in the excellent Leinster Arms pub

 

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6 Comments
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6 Responses

  1. Ian says
    November 28, 2018 at 12:00 pm

    Brilliant

    Reply
  2. Dianne says
    November 28, 2018 at 12:00 pm

    Fascinating

    Reply
  3. Caroline says
    November 28, 2018 at 12:00 pm

    Very interesting

    Reply
  4. Alan says
    November 28, 2018 at 12:01 pm

    Great stuff as ever Geoff- I have visited both the fake houses and the very nice pub- amazing the lengths they went to- it wouldn’t happen today

    Reply
  5. Carole says
    November 28, 2018 at 12:01 pm

    Fascinating stuff

    Reply
  6. Bernie says
    June 20, 2019 at 2:20 am

    I read an article some years ago about an event that was promoted (during the 1930s) when punters could pay £10 a ticket to have a champagne reception at 24 Leinster Gardens and meet some famous film stars of the day. Today we call them “scammers” – back then in the day they were known as “confidence tricksters” – with so many people completely oblivious to the reality behind these addresses, they would be prey for the devious criminal – for it could happen again. . . . .

    Reply

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